


Life in the Gilded Cage

by Thixotrofic



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Angst, Captivity, Gen, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Non-Sexual Grooming, Unwanted Non-Sexual Touching
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:28:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26632129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thixotrofic/pseuds/Thixotrofic
Summary: Three episodes from a typical day of Minfilia's early life in captivity. This work has significant differences with Minfilia's canon captivity.
Kudos: 3





	1. Morning

Each day for Minfilia began with a simple but nutritious breakfast followed by physical training. Though Eulmore no longer needed or even wanted her to fight sin eaters, Ran’jit insisted on teaching her to fight for some yet unknown purpose. Probably for himself. In fact, one of Minfilia’s earliest memories was when she was brought by him before Vauthy, and an argument erupted between them about whether she would be trained. This dispute was resolved when Vauthy realized he didn’t care at all and let it proceed.

The part that made it so memorable is upon this decision, Ran’jit fell to his knees and embraced her as if he had done something amazing for her. She recalled standing stiffly, not feeling anything.

Still, she put everything into becoming stronger. Training was one of the few regular, enjoyable things about her days. For one, it had been the only thing since she was a young child that resembled play with another person. Ran’jit and most of the officers would just work her, but a few times a week she would be overseen by lower-ranked soldiers that humored her requests to race to the far wall of stadium, wrestle, play sports, or do other activities with little value for her physical development but that were simply fun. These were also her only chances to interact with other people. Resting between activities, Minfilia would have endless questions for whomever had been assigned to her, and was especially curious about stories regarding life outside of Eulmore.

Even when it wasn’t a social event, Minfilia applied herself fully. Here, for once, she could have a voice. Even the most stubborn keeper knew that her physical progress required her own input and judgement. She could ask for certain exercises, and had agency in deciding where she wanted to improve in a way that was absent in almost every other aspect of her life. 

Her efforts were also an expression of her wishes for the future. As bleak as things felt, she held onto hope that she could be freed, and would have the fortunate burden of needing to defend herself on her travels to see the world that was remaining. 

Finally, she felt like she owed it to the previous incarnations of Minfilia. That she might have to be strong not just for her own sake, but for the sake of others. She was still confused, searching for how she related to them, but refused to ignore and forget their stories. They all had their own forms of bravery that Minfilia admired. The selflessness to assume the mantle on the battlefield and fight to the death. The burning desire to fight to live her own life, when others would not allow them. Even the girl who had found freedom and release by the rocks beneath the city. All of them had struggled so hard. Whatever her destiny would be, she wanted to be strong enough to face it.

So every morning, and sometimes again in the evening, she would train until her body could not handle any more. It was the least and the most she could do.


	2. Afternoon

On this day, there would be no second training session. She was to make a rare public appearance to the residents of the city. This was, of course, for propagandistic purposes. As much as the new direction under Vauthy would in general scorn one fights against the sin eaters, the story of Minfilia was far too popular to ignore. Indeed, presenting her in good health and in the care of Eulmore lent legitimacy to its methods.

After lunch, a swarm of servants attended to her under careful direction to ensure that her appearance would be perfect and befitting the name Minfilia, the way that Vauthy wanted her presented. A thorough cleaning and perfuming was followed by dressing her in ceremonial clothing that combined the iconic white dress of Minfilia with distinctively Eulorean design elements. The most crucial detail was to cover over bruises, scars, or any other signs that she was doing any fighting or physical exertion whatsoever.

The message was simple. Minfilia was the paragon of beauty and grace, and this was attained through her absolute obedience to the ruling order.

When she was deemed to be ready, a small profession consisting of guards, military officers, and other influential or well-connected free citizens formed to accompany her from the Understory to the stage in the Grand Plaza where she would be delivering her statements. She found her footing in the stiff sandals specially made for the occasion, and set off on her march.

Entering the Canopy was always exciting. She hated to admit it, as Eulmore was a prison, but the soaring ceiling, lavish curtains, and glistening water features made for an amazing sight that she could see only a few times a year. It was also a welcome alternative to looking into the eyes of free citizens who stared at her with a hungry fascination that she found unsettling and difficult to classify. 

People packed closely along each side of the aisle cleared for her, and frequently reached out to brush against her dress or touch her hair. Judging from the squeals of those who were successful, this was apparently some kind of achievement to them. She could only adopt a brisk pace towards the stage, where her introduction had already commenced.

Stepping up to the podium to the sounds of an enthusiastic crowd, she put on a faint smile and opened the portfolio which contained the speech already written for her. She had been given a copy several days in advance, but being very well read and having delivered someone else’s speech a number of times, she could speak fluently in a commanding voice with no preparation. 

With her mind only partially occupied by the task, she could examine her audience. She found herself looking past the majority of those that seemed captivated by what she assumed were lies and words lifted from Vauthy’s proclamations, and to those who seemed more innocent, usually Eulmore’s recent admits and their children. She did this even though it hurt her.

It hurt that she could not express her feelings of hope to these people, who seemed to yearn not for platitudes and reassurances, but a message for building a better future. Perhaps she projected her own wishes into these people she did not know and may never come to know, and who had no thoughts of the sort, but she still felt as if she was letting them down.

It hurt her again to think that if things had been a bit different, she could find friends from among the crowd. Particularly when she saw someone about her age, her mind would fill with fantasies of playing together, going on adventures, learning and growing and living. The images would grow so attractive to her that she would catch herself about to stumble in her recitation and needing to refocus.

The speeches were concise, adapted to short attention spans, and it was soon time step off the stage, weather another round of unwanted touches of the crowd, and descend back into the solitude of the Understory to their cheering and applause.


	3. Evening

After she had cleared her obligations, Minfilia again found solace in her room. Although locked from the outside and its only window barred, here she had a place she could at least call her own, where she could try and discover who she really was. It had always been a cell, but since her earliest memories, it had been intricately decorated, perhaps a microcosm for the city as whole. 

Through the years, she had received many gifts of all varieties. The most treasured of these were the creations of children sent to express the inspiration they found in Minfilia instead of to reap the social benefits to be gained from bequeathing something status symbol that had no meaning for her isolated life. She was revitalized by returning to drawings, poems and stories that covered as high up on the walls as she could reach and that piled up on the floors. So many people believed in her, even though she felt she had done nothing to deserve it.

This was also where she could read, her greatest escape. She was fortunate that there were no restrictions on her mind or imagination. She could request any books from the archives she wanted, and would pour over whole categories of them. Through those adventures, dramas, comedies, and histories she could satisfy her curiosity and experience things that were not her own. 

Of course, the joy of reading concealed sadness for Minfilia. She would finish an amazing account of a secret romance bringing together two warring nations, only to remember that those nations no longer existed. Every story of a beautiful life had a tragic tone when she considered how many of them had been lost and how many more would never come into existence. The encouraging stories written since the Flood about the faeries of Il Mheg, the Elves of Lakeland, and the Viis of Rak'tika gave her some relief, but then she would wonder if she could ever see them for herself. 

With everyone in Eulmore only attending to each other, and everybody in Gatetown only looking to enter Eulmore, she was immensely alone feeling like the only one in the world looking outwards.

But for all the fantastic tales and adventures, there was one book that she always, always returned to, and again did so that night: The Illustrated Tale of the Flood of Light. The first book she was given, and the first book she had ever read. It was her story, with an ending yet unfulfilled. She forced herself through each of the pages, even though she could only barely contain the enormity of what had happened. If she couldn’t handle it, how could anyone else comprehend?

One page she looked at more than any other. It contained the image of Minfilia, the original Minfilia, staying the Flood of Light. She was closer to her than anybody else in the world could be, and still she knew nothing about her. The illustration on that page was one she could not even picture in her head without coming to tears, as testified by the pages buckled from years of her sorrow.

She would refresh the image in her head and carry it with her to bed. She would lay there and think of all the things she would ask Minfilia, and what she would give for a chance to speak with her. Most of all, she wanted to know how she could be so kind as to give up her life without hesitation for people she had never met, and whether she may be able to grow to match that kindness.

The last part of that question, its answer being in the uncertain future, she knew was up to her. All she could do was wait for it to come and prepare herself to be ready when it did. It was late in the night and she was physically and emotionally exhausted. She let her worries and hopes rest for another day tomorrow.


End file.
